Existing comment:
The War on the Lakes:
At the outset of the War of 1812, the United States had few fortifications on the Canadian border, only a handful of troops, and virtually no naval strength on the northern lakes. In the opening land campaigns, the United States military were completely frustrated in attempts to conquer Canada. By the end of 1812, both America and Britain realized that the key to land victory was through the control of the lakes. From then on, the shores of Lakes Erie, Ontario, and Champlain became scenes of feverish shipbuilding activity. The military victories later achieved by Generals William Henry Harrison, Winfield Scott, and Alexander Macomb owed much to US Navy dominance on the northern lakes. |